BEYOND THE STAGE: Traces of the self, Fragments of A Visual Language 

Beyond the Stage: A Study of BTS’s Symbolic Spaces This research paper investigates the evolving role of visual storytelling in BTS’s VCRs — the short cinematic films played before their live performances. Tracing a journey from the youthful chaos of the Run and Young Forever eras to the introspective elegance of Black Swan, the study focuses on the Wings trailer as a pivotal moment of narrative and visual maturity. Through the lens of literary symbolism — especially Hermann Hesse’s Demian — the paper analyzes how space, movement, and architectural motifs (mirrors, thresholds, corridors) are used to reflect psychological transformation. These VCRs are not mere preludes to performance; they are emotional spaces, structured like dreamlike architectures of the self. Blending theory from literature, architecture, and visual culture, the paper argues that BTS’s VCRs form a layered, symbolic language — one that externalizes internal growth and transforms stage design into a narrative device. This exploration lays the groundwork for my diploma project, which builds upon these themes to create a performance space rooted in emotional storytelling and spatial memory.